The Howling
by vinewood
Summary: Snap-shots of Nellie Lovett's life as she goes through an encounter with Ben, his arrest, Lucy's death, and the life of Johanna.


**A/N:** I figured that I should give Mrs. Lovett a first name, so I looked it up, and I read somewhere that her name was Nell, or Nellie. Also, I'm totally just going off a whim, but I'm trying to stay true to the movie's flashbacks. Since the whole Lucy/Benjamin scenes were shot in vibrant colors, it leads me to think that it was a better time . . .you know, before meat was "hard to get." And also, since the sign in the movie said "Mrs. Lovett's Grand Reopening", I assume that there was a time when Mrs. Lovett had _good _meat pies -- that _weren't _made of human flesh.

Also, when I was finally done with this, I realized that the place in which Lucy was staying after Ben's arrest _was _the room over Mrs. Lovett's shop, but then I figured who cares? Why would Lucy _be _in a room over a shop anyway? Can't we just pretend that Lucy stayed in her _own _house? I mean, _come on!! _Doesn't that make more sense?! So, I decided to screw the entire writers of "Sweeney Todd" on that note. (does random pseudo-hula-snoopy dance that no one really understands)

* * *

It was midday on the crowded streets of London, and the sun's vibrant rays cast shafts of golden light onto the cobblestoned roadways. Shutters of the windows on the establishments lining the streets were thrown wide, welcoming in the cool breeze blowing off the sea-shore, and the small businesses and shops were happily greeting any customers that came to call. The past week had been slightly dreary and rainy, but the recent drastic weather change had left everybody in a good mood, and they weren't about to let any of that opportunity slip away.

It was on this beautiful day that Benjamin and Lucy Barker were heading towards the small establishment of Miss Nell Lovett, one of Lucy's good friends. Lucy kissed her husband Ben on the cheek, telling him that she'd be in the perfume shop, and Ben continued on inside the shoppe.

Inside, Nellie Lovett sprinkled flour on her rolling pin and began to roll out a fresh batch of dough, when the door opened, and Benjamin Barker walked inside. Her breath caught in her chest. She'd always had a fondness for the young man . . . curly, silky dark hair . . . beautiful chocolate brown eyes . . . and a smile that made her go weak at the knees. Lucy had always been one of Nellie's good friends, but ever since Lucy had married Benjamin, (Nellie's long-hidden fancy) things had been somewhat forced between them. Sweet, innocent Lucy had never suspected nor figured out that the reason for all the awkwardness was that Nellie was actually coveting her husband, but Nellie would never dare reveal that reason to Lucy. She had continued to make things as easy as she could -- for the only reason being that she could continue spending time with Ben. If she lost Lucy, she lost Ben, respectively.

She cleared her throat to leave behind her nerves, and smiled at him.

"'Ello, Mist' Barker," said Mrs. Lovett cheerily. "'Ow's life treating you this fine afternoon?"

"Just lovely, Mrs. Lovett," said Benjamin, a small smile on his lips. This made her feel even better.

"Care for a pie?" she said, and spoons clattered as her hands stumbled to fetch one from the massive box beside her.

"No, no, I'm fine," said Ben.

"Oh, come on now, dearie. Just a li'l one. It'll put meat on your bones. Even on a fine day like this, you're lookin' a bit pale. Miss Lucy not feedin' you right?"

_Shut up, _she hissed quietly to herself. Even a sharp, subtle jab like this one at Ben's wife . . . well, it was only that Ben was very loyal and protective of his sweet little wife.

"No, really--" he said.

"Alright, then, fine. If you're gonna be stubborn... how bout a bit of ale?"

Ben hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, then," he said. "Just a touch, then."

Mrs. Lovett beamed. She poured him a glass happily and sat down next to him.

"So," she said. "You and Miss Lucy getting along fine now, I presume? Seems to be going great after that lovely wedding..."

"Very," said Ben, taking a sip from his cup. "She's just told me she's pregnant."

Mrs. Lovett let the horror register in her mind for only a moment, before a pleasant smile forced its way into her heavily-lidded features.

"A baby!" she exclaimed in a strained voice. "Such news, Mister Barker... such news indeed!"

Ben nodded enthusiastically. "We can't wait."

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Not yet . . . Lucy wants a boy. I hope its a girl."

Mrs. Lovett reached out and patted his hand. "It's always that way," she said, smiling. She allowed her fingers to linger on his smooth, warm skin for only a moment longer than seemed appropriate, before pulling her hand back and nestling it deep in the folds of her dress. She sighed, and rubbed her forefinger and thumb together -- she could still feel the supple, smooth skin on her own. She loved the feeling more than anything else in the world. She tried to hide her secretly-torturous-gesture with a pleasant smile, but she was slightly shocked to see that (from the look on Ben's face at least), that he had felt the electricity too.

Mrs. Lovett coughed.

"Err... more ale?" she said, pouring some of the clear liquid into his cup. However, the small shotglass had only been sipped the once, and alcohol spilled over onto the table. In her fluster, Mrs. Lovett accidentally knocked over the entire glass.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, wiping it with a rag she snatched from her apron. "Me quivery hands, I suppose...

She stared up into Ben's eyes, hoping he wasn't annoyed at her clumsy mistake, but he looked at her with such a pleasant look of kindness, that she almost jarred. She gave him a weak smile, the nerves at the corners of her mouth twitching with happiness.

"Maybe I should go," said Ben, giving her a kind smile.

"Oh, no . . . please don't feel the need to go just because of me clumsy self--"

"It's really not that," said Ben, shaking his head. "Miss Lucy gets rather tired, now with her pregnancy and all."

_Miss Lucy_, Nell sneered inwardly. _Precious little Lucy. _She quickly replaced her scorn with a warm smile. "Alright, then, Mist' Barker. A pie for the road?"

Ben actually chuckled. "Always the perfect business woman, aren't you?"

Nell smiled, as Ben tipped his hat and walked out of the store. Her eyes watched him out the door -- as he greeted his wife out of the perfume shop, as he stroked her growing belly, and as they walked in the other direction, up the street towards the house they stayed in. But she could have sworn that for one fleeting moment, her eyes and Ben's eyes met, and for one fleeting moment, saw the longing in his eyes. She turned away quickly, and began scrubbing the counter.

It may have just been her imagination, but she never forgot it.

* * *

Nell picked up an orange from the small crate on the stand. She squeezed it gently. It was so spoiled that her finger left a large, soggy dent in the side of the fruit, and she grimaced.

"'Ow much for these, love?" she asked the vender at the other end of the cart. He grinned at her, reealing a wide mouth of missing teeth and bleeding ums.

"Two pounds," he replied.

"Two?" cried Nell, dropping the fruit back in the crate in her disbeleif. "_Each_?" she asked, trying very hard to keep the derision out of her voice.

"Hand-picked 'em meself," said the vender proudly, hiking up his trousers. "Best in the orchard."

Apparently, the vendor was either a very good liar, or the agriculture in London really _had _gone to the dogs. _Lord, _thought Nell. _If this is the best London has to offer, we might soon be picking scraps off the street. _Leaning down to browse again, she saw Benjamin Barker two carts over, looking at the massive bouquets of flowers. Beside him stood Lucy, who was holding Johannd. Nell knlet down so no one would see her. She watched the couple for about 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Ben held out a small daisy to Johanna, who cooed appreciatively. Then he and Lucy exchanged loving glances and Lucy giggled. Finally, Nell looked away, back into the very contrastive face of the fruit vendor, who gave her a creepily expectant grin. Nell was about to go back to looking at fruit, when she heard a great commotion. Two large policemen had forced their way through the throngs of shoppers. Nell looked around for any man who may have tried to run away with some meager protion of food, but instead, the guards brought out a huge baton down on the unsuspecting head of Benjamin Barker with a loud _crack_! Nell's gasp was stifled by Lucy's shriek. Shocked beyong words, Nell took a few steps toward the cart as she watched the scene unfold before her. Caught completely off guard, a dazed Ben barely struggled as the man and a comrade grasped him behind the arms and began to drag him away. Lucy's face was filled with fear, as she called after her husband. Unable to control herself, Nell rushed over to Lucy's side, where the blonde-haired girl looked on the verge of a mental breakdown. Taking Johanna in her arms for Lucy, Nell put her free hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"What happened?" asked Nell.

"I-I don't know," whispered Lucy. "One minute we were just here . . . and . . . he didn't do anything wrong!"

"I believe I know the answer to that dilemma," said a drawling voice.

Nell and Lucy turned to face the man who had spoken. It was Judge Turpin. Nell's face narrowed, and Lucy looked more frightened than ever.

"My husband, what have you done with him?" cried Lucy, her anger not enough to mask the fear still etched over her every movement.

"We caught him stealing," said the Judge simply. "Multiple times."

"What are you talking about?" cried Lucy. "Ben has never stolen anything in his entire life!"

"I beg your pardon, madam," said the Judge, bowing before her gently. "But our sources differ."

"What sources?" snapped Nell, as Lucy looked beyond words.

"I doubt a woman would find interest in the law," replied the Judge, gazing disdainfully at Nell. "Mz. Lovett," he added, sneering her name rudely.

"We do if it's about 'er husband," snapped Nell, handing a now sobbing Johanna back to Lucy.

"Mrs. Lovett, I really don't know _why _it's any of your concern," sneered the Judge, who was now leering at Lucy, who was clutching onto Johanna like a life raft.

"Oh, you don't?" asked Nell fiercely. She turned to Lucy. "Come on, Luce. Let's go."

"Please, Miss Lucy," said the Judge, his whole demeanor changing at once as he put one hand on Lucy's shoulder. "I welcome you to my home any time you like. I would be happy to have you."

Lucy pulled out of his grasp, looking both affronted and terrified. "It's Mrs. Barker," she said quietly. Throwing one last dirty glare at the Judge, Nell wrapped a protective arm around Lucy and steered her down the road, back towards Fleet Street. The last leering, lusting look that Judge Turpin gave the back of Lucy's golden-haired head frightened Nell worse than anything she had ever experienced.

Suddenly, Lucy jarred, and she stared back at Nell imploringly.

"The carriage," she murmered.

"Wot carriage?" asked Nell, her eyes narrowed.

Lucy looked close to tears now. "The baby carriage," she moaned. "I left it by the flower cart."

"I'll get it," said Nell quickly. "You go on home, Miss Lucy, and I'll get it for you."

Not entirely sure if leaving Lucy alone was the best idea, Nell hurried back up the street towards the marketplace. Approaching cautiously, she looked around for the Judge and his Beadle, who, as far as she could tell, not around. She hurried through the throngs of people to the flower cart, where, sure enough, there sat the small baby carriage. There was a shudder above her head, and Nell looked up into the sky. Right as she did, she winced slightly as a single, ice-cold drop of rain landed on her cheek. Blinking, Nell grabbed the handle of the cart and began to roll it the other direction, when she stopped in her tracks. She did not know what made her see it, what brought it to her attention, but somehow it did. She looked down at the cobblestoned street and saw, still lying there, unscathed, the small daisy that Ben had offered to his daughter, and the one that he had dropped as he had been taken away by the guards. She knelt down on the stone and picked up the small flower. Slowly, the full realization of what had just happened came over Nell. Her Benjamin, her beloved Benjamin Barker, was gone. Taken by the law. And with the Judge lusting after Lucy -- Nell was sure of it -- he was not likely to return soon. Tears fell from Nell's eyes as she watched its petals twitch in the rain, as more drops filled the sky and came pattering down more quickly now. Very suddenly, she got the feeling that someone was watching her. Not moving her head, she lifted her eyes to her left, a few yards away. Standing there, she saw Judge Turping watching her. There was a sneer on his lips that terrified Nell. The look on his face was quite plain.

"_You haven't seen the last of me."_

Brought back to her senses, Nell took the flower and gently tucked it into the folds of her dress, being careful not to bend any of the petals. She took the handle of the baby carriage and began to push it down the lane back towards Fleet Street. She could feel the eyes of the Judge burning holes into her neck, but she didn't look back. She never looked back. All she could think of was Ben . . . her beloved Ben . . . her dear, her sweet . . .

_Benjamin Barker _ . . .

* * *

Nell knocked on the door of Lucy's house with a gentle hand.

"Go away," came a croaky voice from inside.

"Miss Lucy?" she said quietly. "Miss Lucy, it's me, Nellie Lovett. Please let me in."

There was a few moments of silence before the sounds of footsteps and Lucy opened the door. However, she was not the same fair-skinned, beautiful woman Nell had once known her as. She was exhausted, disheveled; her clothes looked like they needed a good wash, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her lips were dry and white, and her eyes were lifeless.

"Oh, Lucy," murmered Nell. "My sweet. Wot's the world done to you?"

Lucy tried her best to look dignified, as she straightened up a little. "Well," she said. "Are you going to come in, or not?"

Nell stepped over the threshold quietly, and set a large box on the dining room table. "I've brought you a box of me best pies, Miss Lucy," she said. "For your troubles. I know times is getting harder. And I know food i'nt too easy to come by now with Mr. Barker --" she broke off as she saw a brown, paper-wrapped bottle on the table, which sat next to a small egg cup. She picked it up.

"Wot's this?" she said, reading the lable. "Arsenic . . . ?"

She looked over at Lucy, her eyes wild, who had sat down morosely in the chair at the dining room table.

"Wot the bloody hell is this?" she snapped, brandishing the bottle in front of Lucy's face. "Don't tell me you was thinking of --"

"What have I got to live for, Nellie?" whispered Lucy.

"Now see here, Miss," said Nell. "I know times is hard with Ben gone... but you're mad if you're thinkin'a doin' this!"

"I said," whispered Lucy again, her words monotonous. "What's left for me?"

"Johanna for one!" snapped Nell angrily. "And Mr. Barker... well... wot'll he think when he comes back after all this tosh is over, to find you gone, and poor little Jo wivout a mum? And who knows where she'd be anyway!"

"You could take her," said Lucy, her eyes suddenly hopeful. "Oh, Nell.." she came closer to her, a frightening hungry look in her eyes. "You could take Johanna, and I could get out of here--"

"Miss Lucy, you're not thinking straight!" cried Nell in a scared whisper. "Wot 'bout Mr. Barker?"

"He will understand," said Lucy. "But things haven't been the same since..."

The room grew quiet. Both women knew exactly what had happened that one night at the party.

"Now, Miss Lucy... you can't be deserting your daughter just when things get a li'l rough 'round the edges... she needs you."

"She'll be fine with you. I'm weak."

"Lucy!"

Lucy looked at Nell, her eyes dark. "I'm pregnant."

Nell stood up in her horror. "Wot?" she whispered. "Wot you mean you're--"

"It's been three months since that party, Nell," said Lucy. Her voice barely more than a breath on the wind, she said, "and three months since my last . . ."

Nell looked at Lucy's stomach, which was now partly covered by a white, quivering hand. Sure enough, a small, barely-visible lump was beginning to form. Pressing her lips together, Nell gently but swiftly sat back down, her hand on Lucy's.

"Oh, my poor Lucy... my poor little thing..."

"Now what will Mr. Barker think," whispered Lucy. "when he comes home to find us both living in rags, and me with a child wot come from the man who threw him in jail..." Tears raised her last words into a high voice, and she closed her eyes, and pressed a small hand over her lips. Slowly, her frown faded, and she took a deep breath.

"No," she said. "I won't hurt him like that."

"Lucy, he'll just be glad to see your pretty face," said Nell, holding up Lucy's chin with one finger. "And Johanna's as well. Worst comes to worst, you just tell 'im it's his. They took him 'bout a year after Johanna was born, but before that... most certainly leaving time to--"

"Nell, Ben and the Judge look nothing alike..."

"Wot if the child looks like you?" said Nell. Lucy shook her head, doubt shaking her. "Johanna looks like you... only Ben I can see in her clearly is 'er eyes."

"But what if--"

"Then you put the child in an orphanage... to another family."

Lucy shook her head. "It would never work."

"You'd have the child before the end of the year, and let's face it, Mr. Barker's got a good twelve years left in the locker. You certainly have the time."

"You don't understand!" shrieked Lucy, suddenly standing up. "You don't know how awful it was! My husband in jail, and to have that smarmy man take advantage of me, in front of all those people -- You don't understand! I don't _want _the Judge's child _inside _of me! It's a _**devil child**_!!"

And with that, she furiously grabbed the bottle of arsenic from Nell's unsuspecting slackened grip, and downed the whole bottle.

"Lucy, no!" cried Nell, and she lunged for her friend, knocking the bottle from her grip. The bottle flew across the room and hit the opposite wall, shattering, but only a few drops remained.

"You stupid nit!" shouted Nell, as Lucy collapsed into the chair, clutching her throat. "Wot have you done?!"

Nell bent down and looked into Lucy's eyes. "Lucy... can you hear me?"

Lucy said nothing. "It's over now, Nell... it's over."

Nell looked at her, and sighed. "I suppose it is, isn't it?"

"Go home, Nell," murmered Lucy. "Let me die."

"Lucy--" started Nell.

"Come back later for Johanna," croaked Lucy, her eyes narrowed in pain. "Let me die in peace."

* * *

Nell opened the door, and came into the dining room. Sure enough, she saw Lucy's frail frame, lying on the ground, completely unmoving.

"Poor bugger," whispered Nell, walking over to her. She bent down and brushed the blonde locks away from Lucy's face. Suddenly, Lucy's eyes opened, and she gasped for breath. Nell let out a scream, and fell backwards.

"Bloody hell!" screamed Nell. She scrambled to the side of the room, and watched as a trembling Lucy turned over onto her back, her blue eyes now dark as she gasped for breath, agony making her body shake and quake. Nell gulped.

"Bloody hell," she repeated. She walked over to Lucy and stood over her, staring into her eyes. "You lived... you... you survived!"

She bent down and brushed the hair out of Lucy's eyes.

"N-Nell...i_eee..._" groaned Lucy. The noise was so painfully agonizing to hear, that Nell closed her eyes against the sound.

"How the hell did you survive?" whispered Nell, more to herself than to Lucy.

"W-wasn't arsenic..." stuttered Lucy. "S-someth-thing... eh-else..."

Nell raised her eyebrows. "Well what the bloody hell was it, then?"

Lucy shook her head, but leaned over and vomited all over the floor, and let out a scream of pain, clutching her stomach. Nell patted her shoulder. "There, there, dearie. just get all that junk out of your system . . . let's get you to a hospital."

Lucy grabbed onto Nell's hand, and held fast. "No!" she cried. "No. . . no hospital . . . no doctors . . . I'm fine."

"Lucy, look at yourself!" cried Nell, almost laughing from her friend's stupidity. "Now, get up..."

"NO!" screamed Lucy. "Just put me in my bed."

Nell sighed, and pressed her lips together sadly. She looked up around the house. Her pies laid cold on the table, untouched. "Where's li'l Johanna?" asked Nell. Lucy shook her head. Nell put her hands on her hips angrily. "Well, where is she?"

"Sleeping."

Nell wrapped one of Lucy's arms around her neck and began to drag her up the stairs to the bed. Finally, she reached it, and gently laid out Lucy's quivering form on the bed, where she shook like a leaf in the breeze. Behind her, Nell heard small Johanna squirm. She turned around and walked over to the crib, where she pulled out the baby and cradled her in her arms. Her eyes were drawn immediately to Johanna's beautiful brown eyes, so like her father's.

"Look at you," murmered Nell softly, out of earshot of Lucy. "I could be your new mum, I could," she said softly, almost longingly. "Mist' Barker would come home from his time in the clanger, and where would we be? Cuddled up under a blanket in front of the fire, with a hot meal on the table, and he'd come home and he'd be so happy to see us both. And we'd be so happy."

"Nell..."

Nell was immediately shook out of her trance as Lucy moaned for her. Giving the small child one last fleeting look, she laid Johanna back in the crib, along with everything she had ever hoped for. A small voice in her head was jumping for joy at the fact that Lucy Barker was now away from her dear Benjamin, but another voice said something very different. Something that gave a forboding sense of dread, and Nell knew that it would not be the end of her journey with Lucy, Johanna, and even Benjamin.

* * *

"No, I can't . . . _don't let him_!"

Nell sighed, and patted Lucy's forehead with a wet rag.

"Hush, darling. No one's here but me," she cooed.

"No!" hissed Lucy. "You're all . . . he's out to get me!! Ha_ha_!" Her voice lilted into a hysterical laugh, and she rolled over the side of the bed, laughing so hard that the laughs were silent, until she let out a hoarse wheeze and vomited over the side of the bed.

"Oh, Lucy!" cried Nell. "Sit back! Why'd you do that! I told you, there's a rubbish bin right here, on the _other _side of the bed . . ."

Nell sighed and made downstairs for more wet towels to clean up the mess. It had been two years since Lucy Barker had taken the mysterious poison. It had rendered her barely coherant for a year before she went completely insane, her hair growing half-hazardly, her eyes dark and unseeing, and shouting and murmering things that sounded an awful lot like memories of a long-forgotten past. Nell, however, keeping her utmost loyalty to Ben, had tried to care for not only Lucy, but her daughter, Johanna, as best she could since then. Johanna could barely funtion on her own, and Lucy was in no shape to be caring for an infant.

As for Lucy's rape-pregnancy from Judge Turpin, it had miscarried during the earliest stages of its life from the poison, and was long forgotten, even by Nell herself.

As she opened the cupboard to find more rags, she heard a knock on the door. She sat up, one eyebrow cocked. It was seven o'clock in the evening. Hardly a time for anyone to call. She stood up nonetheless, brushed off her skirt, and hurried towards the door. As she opened it, she let out a gasp that she could not stifle.

It was Judge Turpin.

"What do you want?" she asked immediately, her hand clenched white on the doorknob. The Judge gave her a small smile.

"Good afternoon, Mz. Lovett. I've come with a proposition, if you'll kindly allow me into your sitting room."

"I will do no such thing," said Nell firmly, her jaw set angrily, and her eyes narrowed. The smarmy grin on the Judge's face immediately was wiped off.

"Excuse me?" he asked again.

"You heard me," said Nell. "You're not welcome here."

There was a pause, before he spoke again. "Very well," he said. "I'll just come out and say it."

"Good," said Nell. "Spit it out, then."

The Judge looked a little put-off by the fact that he was being ordered to speak, and that he was no longer negotiating the terms of the meeting. "I'm willing to pay you a rather large sum of money, Mz. Lovett."

"For wot?" asked Nell, glaring at him.

"For a certain member of your household . . ."

"After all you've done," whispered Nell incredulously. "You think I'm going to let you in here to have your way with Lucy Barker?"

"I'm not speaking of that little nit," sneered the Judge furiously. "She is no more than a whore in this town, and her reputation speaks for itself."

"Ahh, yes," said Nell sarcastically. "The one _you _gave her, you mean."

"I've come to adopt little Johanna," said the Judge, ignoring her comment. Nell's arms fell to her sides.

"Wot?" she repeated.

"I've come to take dear Johanna into my home. There I will care for her, there I will feed her, clothe her, give her houseroom. I am willing to pay you 100 pounds."

For a split second, Nell almost considered the offer. One-hundred pounds was an awful large amount of money, and she certainly needed it. Her shop was only just barely clinging onto business, and she was only keeping the estate because the landlord didn't care much, and no one else was interested in moving in. Then, she remembered herself -- remembered what the Judge was asking of her, and she was brought back to reality.

"You're not _touching _Johanna," said Nell furiously, more angry than she had been when she'd thought he'd been asking for Lucy. "Mist' Barker's in jail, Lucy's sicker'n'a dog at the moment... don't you think you've damned this family good enough?"

"Mz. Lovett, I am the Judge in this town. I can take Johanna the easy way, right now, allowing you and your darling little Lucy to keep on living a quiet life, away from prying eyes . . . or I can take her in a few days time after I've sentenced you to the same fate as Benjamin Barker, and I've thrown Lucy in an asylum. Which would you prefer?"

Nell paused for a moment, her anger making her short of breath. "You can't do this," she murmered softly. "Johanna's older now . . . she's not a baby anymore. She needs me... I'm her mum --"

"I'm sure she will adjust," said the Judge impatiently.

"Children don't adjust as easily as you'd think, sir," said Nell quietly. "Please, sir . . . wait till the girl is older . . . eighteen . . . then you can have her."

"My dear Mrs. Lovett," said the Judge, putting both hands to his heart and sighing in a hurt way. "You think I _desire _the poor girl?"

Nell narrowed her eyes.

"My dear, sweet," said the Judge. "I wish to care for her, take her in as my daughter, as you have so gallantly done for her for the past two and a half years." He lowered into an elaborate bow, taking off his hat to her. Nell did not change her glaring composure.

"I 'fink you want to keep her as your puppy, so you can pamper her till she's a bit older... maybe five or six . . . then one day the temptation will just be too strong," she taunted on the last sentence. With a loud _smack!, _the Judge pulled out a hand and slammed it into Nell's face, sending her onto the floor.

"Don't you dare speak to me that way," growled the Judge. "I want your answer now, Mrs. Lovett."

The pain shot stars in front of her eyes, but Nell was a sturdy woman, and shook it fiercely to clear it. She stared up at him, her hand to her face where it glowed red. The Judge sighed.

"Two-hundred pounds," he mused. "I'll raise it as far as you'd like."

"It's not the money . . . You can't take her," bleated Nell feebly. "Mist' Barker will be counting on seeing both of them home when he returns . . . and when he . . ." She trailed off, but the Judge's mouth opened and he smiled as he understood.

"Aaah," he said, laughing. "You think that dear Benjamin Barker will notice that you were the one caring for his family, and he will fall in love with you."

Nell glared at him, tears filling her eyes as the Judge voiced the one thought she had been working on for the past two and half years, but never really admitting it to herself.

"I think Benjamin will be a little more angry if he finds all three of you in ruins, not after his daughter was offered a place in my grand household."

"I think you're the only exception to 'grand'," said Nell, not trying to harm, just stating, as she concentrated on rubbing her cheek. The Judge laughed, and Nell looked up in surprise.

"Three hundred?" he asked, seeming to enjoy the fact that he could raise it as far he wanted, but knowing that he had already won her over. She paused, and he chuckled again. "Mrs. Lovett, you think I _want _to throw you in jail?" he asked, still smiling. "It's an awful lot of work, and I don't really care that much about you."

Nell sighed, and closed her eyes, hating every inch of herself. "Four," she whispered.

The Judge nodded, clearly satisfied. "Four hundred it is," he said, nodding. "My assistant will be here in the morning to drop off the money and take little Johanna. I will leave you the night to say your goodbyes."

He tipped his hat to her and walked out, not expecting nor asking to be shown out.

It may have been only minutes, but the ringing silence left behind as he slammed the door seemed like hours.

Slowly, Mrs. Lovett curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest, and sobbed, tears wiping clean streaks down her grimy cheeks.


End file.
